MUMBAI, May 12: Shiv Sena chief will lay the second foundation stone for the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) hospital at Vashi's Sector-10 in Navim Mumbai.

The first foundation stone for the hospital project had already been unveiled by former mayor Sanjeev Naik on his last working day a year ago, when he had also performed the `bhoomi puja' ceremonies for four other projects - a wild life sactuary, the Ambani-aided modern hospital, the mayor's bungalow and the civic headquarters. Newly appointed Navi Mumbai District Congress (I) president D R Patil stated, `They are only wasting the tax payer's money.'' He criticised the ruling Shiv Sena for `clamouring to have the foundation done for the second time' and wondered how Thackeray accepted the invitation for the function.

Patil, who is also the opposition leader in the civic body, pointed out that the tender for the hospital contract was yet to be finalised by the Standing Committee and as such there was no quetsion of commissioning the civil work, formally.

Standing Committee chairman Vithal More sought to have a special meeting on Monday to finalise the contract, apparently to facilitate Tuesday's function. However, when Patil strongly objected to approving the contract in a hurry, More dropped the idea.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.